Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Cranberry Orange Shortbread


cranberry orange shortbread

I’m finally back from no oven land! It’s tough being without your oven when you use it most every day. I wish that upon no one!

I’ve had these craisins sitting around in my cupboard for ages, today I finally put them to good use, shortbread! I love shortbread because you can flavor it any way you like, this combination is one of my favorites, cranberry and orange. I was originally going to do scones with the same flavors, but choose these instead in the interest of working through my cookie issues.

cranberry orange shortbread

I’ve never made these slice and bake kind before, I’d always avoided them for some reason. No idea why, they were so easy. I made up the dough last night and baked them this morning, they came out wonderfully. Put them on your christmas cookie bake list, these beauties will be sent out in christmas packages later today.

cranberry orange shortbread

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add vanilla, almond extract, orange zest and dried cranberries and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter beating at a low speed until blended.

Form dough into 2 logs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap in parchment, and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

Preheat oven to 350.

If frozen, let the logs stand at room temp for 10 minutes. Remove parchment. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and space about 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

53 comments:

  1. they are so cute and festive, what a nice gift to send. Glad you have your oven back!

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  2. Those cookies look beautiful! The best reinvention of lonely cranberries sitting in a cupboard I've ever seen :)

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  3. i love your blog! you make cooking look so beautiful!

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  4. Looks yummy. I am not one for cranberry sauce, but I like cranberries in cookies :)

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  5. your blog.. your photographs and the rustic feel I get when I see your blog and creations.. Yes , This is the one I'm looking for ! Keep up the great work! I'm a HUGE fan!

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  6. mmmm...shortbread has been on my list for awhile but i never seem to get around to it.

    how on earth have you survived without your oven? that's nearly as bad as losing a camera!

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  7. I love your photography, especially the lighting! In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion he bought some prints for me for Christmas... Do you have any photography tips for those of us who are still learning?

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  8. so delightful! who wouldn't love such a wonderful flavor combo?

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  9. Have just stumbled upon your blog via Twitter and it's such a delightful surprise. I am melting over your photos. Thanks for sharing the deliciousness!

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  10. I definitely am coming over to the slice-n-bake side - it's so much easier to plan the baking around your life rather than vice versa! And even better, these cookies give me a reason to eat craisins in some way other than just right out of the bag :) Glad you have your oven functioning again!

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  11. being without an oven is HARD. glad you have yours back!

    those cookies look deelishis!

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  12. I love how perfectly stark white these look. The paleness a perfect canvas for the red cranberries and flecks of orange zest.

    Cheers,

    *Heather*

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  13. These look very light and flavorful...delicious!

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  14. I am so glad your oven is back! My parents once had their oven break---the day before Thanksgiving. It was awful.


    Those cookies are gorgeous! Do you think a chopped fresh cranberries would work too? We have a whole bag in the freezer I'd like to use. Would I have to add a smaller amount if using fresh instead of dried? Thanks! :)

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  15. They look and sound delicious!

    I'm a new follower to your blog, glad to be here!

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  16. you without an oven would be like without my camera! terrible indeed! the cookies look so yummy, shortbread is one of my favs. that top photo is perfectly beautiful :)

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  17. oh, how i love the cranberry-orange combo. it's welcome in any baked good, from breads to cakes to bars and especially to cookies. lovely. :)

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  18. GORGEOUS. I love how easy slice and bake cookies are hahaha but for some reason I can never get mine to slice at the same width so I get weird looking cookies and then I just get frustrated. :)

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  19. i love the light in these! well done, and Im glad your oven is working again :)

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  20. First time dropping by your blog. love it already!!

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  21. Orange and cranberry say Christmas as much as pumpkin says fall. Great looking cookies. So happy that you have a working oven again.
    Mimi

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  22. Made these today. The are wonderful!!! Thanks for posting ;)

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  23. yum... must buy some cranberries tonight!

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  24. These look beautiful - really vibrant photography too! I'm definitely going to try and bake these as a festive treat.

    If you get a free moment, please do take a look at my cookery blog and let me know what you think: http://shortcakeandsnap.wordpress.com thank you!

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  25. These look great. I too have cranberries laying around, so these may be in my near future...glad your oven's up and purring again!

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  26. Looks festive and delicious. Glad your oven is back in working order :)

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  27. kathryn: sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. I'm not convinced that fresh would work, even chopped, because they just wouldn't be sweet enough. If you try though, let me know!

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  28. I made these this weekend and they were INCREDIBLE; loaded with flavor! My husband even liked them, which speaks volumes because he typically won't touch a cookie if there isn't chocolate in it :) Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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  29. Me too, I made these today and I really like them; Santa Claus even get to try them. ;) Merry Christmas. I love your blog. Just discovered it a few days ago.

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  30. I made these for a party and they were a big hit. I didn't have orange so I used lemon instead. It was delicious.

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  31. i made these for christmas presents and then i've just made them again for me! wow they are good and sooooo easy. Thanks for the wonderful recipe and cute blog.
    monique [flickr]

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  32. i love your blog! itìs so inspiring! beautiful pictures by the way :)
    have a sweet day,
    justyna

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  33. i made these last night - YUM!
    ps i love Jesus too
    xo

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  34. My dough looks a lot more yellow, than yours does. I added a little chocolate to mine (but they looked yellow, before the chocolate). I decided to follow Smitten Kitchen's recipe directions of Espresso shortbread, so I rolled the dough flat inside of a ziploc bag.

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  35. Hi. I've just come across your blog bia whipup.net. These cookies look fabulous - only problem is I'm in Australia so a "stick" of butter may mean different weights - can you please tell me how much a stick weighs?

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  36. Just made a batch- fridging right now. Sadly no cranberries, so substituted mini chocolate chips. I am guessing that they will taste rather fine.

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  37. Delicious AND easy! I'm bringing these to a cookie exchange tonight, and I'll definitely bake these again!

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